Grave-filler.



C. W. KIRBY.

GRAVE FILLER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.19,1914.

Patented J an. 5, 1915.

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A TTOR/VE Y8 WITNESSES CHARLES W. KIRBY, OF STRIQNGHURST, ILLINOIS.

GRAVE-FILLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5,1215.

Application filed September 19, 1914. Serial No. 862,550.

To all 107mm it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLns W. KIRBY, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Stronghurst, in thecounty of Henderson and State of Illinois, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Grave Fillers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to grave filling machines and embodiesimprovements on the grave filler forming the subject of my applicationfiled July 18, 191%, Serial No. 851,751.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a gravefilling machine including a knock-down box having a side gate withremovable means for reducing the exit opening of the box.

Another object of the invention is to provide a grave digger of the typeset forth and having a side ate with a removable board or guard toprevent the collecting of earth between the box and gate.

with these and other objects in view which will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the construction,combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully describedand claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which likecharacters of reference indicate like parts through the figures, ofwhich- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved gravefilling machine, Fig. 2 represents a vertical sectional view takentransversely thereof, Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of one of theremovable partitions, Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary horizontalsectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 4l4- of Fig. 2,Fig. 5 represents an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on acommon plane with Fig. 2.

The grave filler on which the present invention is an improvement,includes a drag comprising a floor 6 supported by runners o.

A box or body is supported on the floor and includes end walls 9 and arear wall 10. Secured to the latter near its ends are a pair of uprights11 which form the rear corner posts of the box. Uprights 12 are securedto the rear wall intermediate the posts 11. Near the front edges of endwalls 9 are secured the front corner posts 17 All of the uprights andposts have their lower ends reduced as at 13 to fit in openings in floor6 whereby to removably maintain the walls in position.

In order to prevent accidental displacement of the rear edges of walls 9the rear wall 10 is provided with guide strips 15 between which and theuprights 11, the rear edges of walls 9 are disposed. Strips 16 providedon the inner sides of the end walls are adapted to engage against thecorner posts 11 for further bracing and guiding the end walls.Diagonally disposed braces 19 removably connected to the uprights 12 andto the front corner posts 17, serve to brace the end and rear walls.

The front wall of the box includes a folding gate or chute 22 andsections 23 and- 2 1. The latter are removably maintained in position bymeans of pins 32 and hooks 33 and 34. The gate when closed rests at itslower edge in the front rabbeted edge 25 of the floor 6. Hinges 26 havetheir upper leaves secured to the gate and have their lower leaves 28removably engaging in staples 29 secured to the front edge of the floor6. Substantially arcuate segments 30 are secured to the ends of chute 22and are adapted to guide the earth in its movement from the box duringthe process of emptying the latter. l/Vhen the chute or gate is inclosed position the segments or plates 30 engage the outer faces of endwalls 9. Hooks 31 are provided on the end walls and are adapted toengage segments 30 for maintaining the gate in closed position.

The improvement wherein the present invention resides lies in theconstruction and arrangement of the partitions 35 and the fender orguard 36. The partitions are adapted to be positioned one at each end ofthe machine and are for the purpose of reducing the opening throughwhich the dirt may find its exit in filling smaller graves thanordinarily. Each partition comprises a substantially rectangular board46 die posed longitudinally of the machine adjacent the front thereof.The inner edges of the boards are adapted to be slidably positionedbetween the front corner uprights l7 and guide strips 37 disposed on endwalls 9 in spaced relation to said uprights, as indicated in Fig. i.

A brace 38 is secured on the inner face of each partition and engagesagainst guide strip 37 when the partition is in place, as indicated inthe drawing. A second brace 39 is secured to the inner face of eachpartition near the outer edge thereof and projects slightly above theupper edge of the partition as at 40. A hook or other suitable fasteningdevice 41 is carried by each brace39 near its upper end and supports oneend of a chain or similar flexible connection l2. The opposite end ofthe chain is carried by a hook 43 secured to one of the uprights 12 nearits upper end. In order to prevent lateral movement of the outer or freeends of the partitions, each of them is provided on its outer face witha retaining plate 44 extending at its lower end below the lower edge ofthe partition. Said plate is adapted to be engaged in a slot or recessprovided in the floor 6, when the partition is in position. As indicatedin Fig. 1, the partitions are adapted to reduce the size of thedischarge opening of the machine. Chains 4E2 prevent lateral movement ofthe upper portionsot the partitions due to the weight of the dirt withinthe box. The fender 36 is adapted to prevent the collection of earthbetween gate 22 and floor 6. It is disposed longitudinally of the boxand is of a length substantially equal to the distance between thecorner uprights 17. Hinges 45, similar to hinges 26, are carried by thefender near its ends, and the lower or free leaves of said hinges areadapted to engage recesses cut in the floor 6, whereby the fender may beremovably secured in position. When in upright position the fenderextends between the corner uprights 17 so that gate22 may fold flushagainst them, and when in extended position, as indicated in Figs. 1 and2, the tender folds outwardly over the rabbeted edge 25, thus bridgingthe opening occurring between gate 22 and floor 6. The tender is adaptedto be used continuously with'the machine, but the partitions are to beused only when a smaller grave is to be filled, and at other timesmay beremoved from the machine so that earth may be discharged from the boxthrough the entire length of the opening.

Although I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, Imay desire to make such changes in the construction, combination andarrangement of parts as do not depart from the spirit of the inventionand the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: j

1. The combination in a grave filler of a floor, a box mounted thereon,said box including end walls havin corner uprights at theirforwardedges, sai box having means whereby an opening may be formedbetween Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for the corner uprights, agate hingedly con- .nectedto the flooring adjacent the opening rights, afender, means for removably disposing said fender between said uprightsalong the opening, said fender whensaid gate is in outward positionadapted to be folded outwardly to bridge the opening oc curring. betweensaid gate and floor.

2. The combination in a grave filler of a box adapted to have an openingformed along one side, removable partitions adapted to be positionedadjacent the open side for partially closing the same, a gate hmgedlyconnected to the floor of the box, and a tender disposed in the openside of the box and between the partitions and gate, and adapted toprevent entrance of dirt between the gate and floor. I

3. The combination in a grave filler, of a box, a gate disposed alongone side thereof and adapted when folded outwardly to form a discharge.opening extendingthe entire length of the boxing, means for preventingentrance of earth between the gate and boxing, and removable means foradjusting the size of the opening. 1

a The combination in a grave filler, of a box having end walls, corneruprights secured to the end walls, removable means adapted to form adischarge opening for the box between the corner uprights, guide stripssecured to the end walls in spaced relation ,to the corner uprights,removable partitions disposed within the box and engaging along one edgebetween said guide strips and corner uprights, plates carried by saidpartitions and depending below the latter and adapted to engage inrecesses provided in the floor of the box, and means connecting saidpartitions with the opposite wall of the box for bracing the partitions.

5. A grave filler comprising a box, a gate carried thereby andadapted tobe swung for forming a discharge opening, means to prevent entrance ofdirt between the gate and box when the formeris .in open position,partitions adapted to be disposed within the boxlongitudinally of theopening for regulating the length of the latter, and means fordetachably connecting the partition with the box.

CHARLES w. KIBBY. Witnesses: 4 y i O. F. WOLFORD, J OHN R. Mum).

five cents each, y addressing the Commissioner of ratents,

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